Two protests take over downtown Toronto Saturday
Posted October 17, 2020 3:57 pm.
Last Updated October 18, 2020 10:32 am.
Hundreds of protesters gathered downtown for most of the afternoon on Saturday, calling for an end to the COVID-19 lockdown measures.
The group of anti-maskers were at Yonge-Dundas Square, carrying signs and shouting slogans against the Trudeau government and lockdown protocols. They caused traffic slow downs as they marched up Yonge to Davenport where they turned onto Avenue Road before circling back to Yonge and Bloor, fully blocking portions of a number of major arteries in and out of the downtown core.
The demonstration was held by a group known as “The Line” who claim to be a civil liberties movement. Calling themselves ‘freedom fighters’ they say they are Canadians defending their constitutional rights and freedoms.
On Saturday, they asked their followers to draw resistance logos on their vehicles and join the motorcade in the streets as a sign of “unity and resistance against the new normal and the lockdown.”
A second protest at Nathan Philips Square called for an end to SARS, a special anti-robbery squad based in Nigeria that has been accused of police brutality and corruption.
The squad was disbanded a week ago and replaced by another called SWAT, the Special Weapons And Tactics squad.
Demonstrators fear this will be another new SARS.
This is the second protest in Toronto in as many weeks as similar demonstrations have been happening around the world.
